Get the club connection: KUVO, the community that unites clubbers with the best dance music, DJs and venues

Today, we launch KUVO: a website and app (iOS/Android) that will transform the way clubbers, DJs and clubs connect with each other. Iconic clubs in locations including Ibiza, London, Los Angeles, Singapore, Dubai and Tokyo have already started to use KUVO, laying the foundations for a next generation club community.

KUVO brings dance music fans live information about which DJs are playing and where, with real-time set lists and the ability to preview, ‘like’ and buy tracks – all via the KUVO smartphone app and website. Clubbers will be able to see what’s trending and what’s happening in clubs near them – helping them to discover new music, DJs and venues.

KUVO will connect clubs to an audience eager to find the best dance music, DJs and events. By installing a KUVO gateway box, clubs will be able to provide real-time information about what’s playing in each of their rooms, with the potential to push promotions and communicate on the fly. Meanwhile DJs can market themselves and their music by updating their profiles, and embedding promotional messages and more in their track information.

“Pioneer pro-DJ equipment is an industry standard for dance clubs all over the world. Now KUVO is creating an ecosystem of networked DJ booths that can share all their track info, creating a rich, interactive experience for clubbers, DJs and clubs,” explains Mark Grotefeld, General Manager for Marketing, Pioneer Europe.

How it works: connecting clubbers in the cloud

Clubs can apply for a free KUVO network gateway,1 which they connect to Pioneer CDJs and mixers in their DJ booths via Pro DJ Link LAN2. DJs then simply play their set, and live track information will be sent from the booth, via our cloud server, to clubbers using the KUVO website and app.

For the past year, we have been working with clubs to populate KUVO. The network now receives live information from DJ booths in cities including London, New York, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo and Vegas – with sets from the dance floors of Ministry London, Mansion Miami and Space Ibiza. We will continue to work with the best venues around the world to build a rich store of content for the KUVO community.

KUVO and beyond

While KUVO will initially be exclusive to DJ booths using Pioneer equipment, we are in advanced conversations with third parties to extend it to non-Pioneer hardware and software.

We are already collaborating with Richie Hawtin and his RADR.dj technology to create a plug-in that will allow Native Instruments’ Traktor and non-Pioneer users to feed into the KUVO system. This will create opportunities around data sharing and the fair distribution of royalties to dance music producers and labels.

"If we can allow people to know more about what DJs are playing, we can actually spread the message of electronic music; then, our whole scene can grow creatively and financially,” Richie Hawtin, DJ, producer, label owner confirms.

Together with RADR.dj, we are working with the newly-formed Association for Electronic Music to ensure such payments end up in the right hands.

“We’re in a position to champion underground dance music producers, who are often overlooked by a system that can pay disproportionate amounts of money to other music genres,” says Grotefeld. “We will offer our data to performing rights societies to help them provide a more effective reporting solution for their members, enabling the accurate payment of royalties to dance music producers."

Highlights of the KUVO website and app

Live information about DJ sets and dance music trends around the world

Now playing: provides live set information straight from the decks, with the ability to preview, ‘like’, ‘favourite’ and buy tracks via iTunes (iOS only) or JunoDownload. Plus DJs and clubs can embed messages in track information.

Follow: users can follow clubs and DJs to get all the latest information.

Discover: collates ‘likes’, ‘favourites’ and ‘follows’ to identify trends, and help users discover new tracks.

Playlist: allows clubbers to review sets played by their favourite DJs, search for tracks played at club nights they’ve been to in the past, and post comments for the DJ or club.

Club Map helps clubbers discover club nights they’ll love The Club Map shows users where tracks and DJs can be found, and guides them to clubs playing the music they want to hear, both on demand and live. Users can discover new clubs, preview tracks that are playing live, and use the map to get there.

Photo Album to share the experience The KUVO app lets clubbers stamp photos taken in a club with information about the track playing, DJ and club. Photos can be shared with friends via social media, capturing a vivid picture of the best club nights.

An opportunity for clubs and DJs to raise their profiles DJs and clubs can update their KUVO profiles with links to their websites and social media feeds, as well as push promotional messages to clubbers. Using Pioneer’s rekordbox software, DJs can even add messages to each track they’ve played – for example, links to their social media pages – opening up a whole new level of interactivity between clubs, DJs and their fans.